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patchouli, patchouli everywhere

post #1 of 26
5/12/07 at 5:43pm
Thread Starter 
i love patchouli. i'll just say that up front. however, when i was in london a few months ago i noticed that every single time i caught a whiff of perfume, it had patchouli. i did not smell one variant fragrance at all. it smelled like angel, but i'm thinking it might have been prada, since it's newer.

so londoners, and others, am i the only one? is there some kind of insane patchouli phase going on right now? i haven't noticed this too much in new york, but i'm just curious if anyone else has noticed this.

and a follow up: is there a really awesome, distinctive patchouli that you just adore? i think my favorite is parfumerie generale's coze - and the "patchouli" in that one is hemp! go figure.
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post #2 of 26
5/12/07 at 5:48pm
Even though patchouli isn't listed as a note, I get VERY distinctive patchouli from M.A.C.'s MV3. I like patchouli, & several of my favorites list patchouli in their pyramid...but in MV3 it seems to be almost overbearing. Anyhow, it's worth a sniff.
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post #3 of 26
5/12/07 at 5:57pm
L' Artisan Patchouli Patch. The patchouliest!!
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post #4 of 26
5/12/07 at 11:41pm
Il Profumo do a good one called Patchouli Noir. And of course, Black Orchid has a load of Patchouli.
Having said that, as a Londoner, I smell a LOT of Angel. Which is why I hardly wear it myself these days, even though I do like it. *sigh*
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post #5 of 26
5/13/07 at 2:31am
I love Patchouli and I am always on the lookout for patch dominant fragrances, especially now that it's nearing winter here. Currently the ones I wear the most are Voleur de Roses and Prada. I have never tired of Prada which doesn't even smell like Angel to me any more.
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post #6 of 26
5/13/07 at 3:54am
In order of how I like it.
Jalaine Patchouli
Voleurs de Roses
Patchouli Patch
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post #7 of 26
5/13/07 at 5:29am
Coromandel, L'Ombre Fauve, Patchouli Leaves...
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post #8 of 26
5/13/07 at 5:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by quinpus View Post

i love patchouli. i'll just say that up front. however, when i was in london a few months ago i noticed that every single time i caught a whiff of perfume, it had patchouli. i did not smell one variant fragrance at all. it smelled like angel, but i'm thinking it might have been prada, since it's newer.

so londoners, and others, am i the only one? is there some kind of insane patchouli phase going on right now? i haven't noticed this too much in new york, but i'm just curious if anyone else has noticed this.

You are not alone in your noticing that patchouli appears to be very prevalent everywhere you go these days. I think that there are a few main 'culprits' to blame:

Thierry Mugler Angel - and all its variations, including the new Eau de Star
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb
Prada by Prada - and now Prada Tendre
Allure Sensuelle
Jade Goody Shh!

Although they may begin differently they all end in the same place - Patchouliville!

Quote:
Originally Posted by quinpus View Post

and a follow up: is there a really awesome, distinctive patchouli that you just adore? i think my favorite is parfumerie generale's coze - and the "patchouli" in that one is hemp! go figure.

I have only sampled Parfumerie Generale's Coze and would love more. But only in cold winter weather. It is a delicious gourmand to me.

Funnily enough, even though I adore big bold sexy perfumes, patchouli was on my most hated list for many years. I find that the patchouli blend at the base of many perfumes these days is a very cheap, sweaty, viscous scent that tends to offend with a rank 'stale body odour' edge when on the skin - especially when overly generous application as many people like to do these days.

As time has gone by I have, happily, discovered a few Patchouli heavy scents. These, applied in moderation in the right circumstances, have proven delightful.

My favourite Patchouli blends include:

Jean Desprez Bal a Versailles
TBS Woody Sandalwood
L'Occitane Patchouli EDT - the most smooth chocolatey patchouli ever! And sadly long discontinued /impossible to find...
Yves Rocher Rose Ispahan - the most delicious boozy roses + amber + patchouli blend. Almost gourmand.
LUSH Karma (vintage - pre 2001) - Unique warm citrus with a spicy incense dominated patchouli base. I usually reach for this in late summer / autumn and always receive many compliments (with people writing it down to go look for it themselves). I find the current formulation too brash and soulless, more orange and patchouli without the delicious incense and spice of the vintage formulation.
Ava Luxe Midnight Violets - this does for violets what Voleur de Roses does for roses. does not specifically list patchouli but I believe the 'earth' note listed probably includes a healthy whack of it. A newly born beauty destined to become a classic.
Dana Tabu - in winter only. I do sometimes wear a dab of it in warmer months layered with a sweet orange blossom with great success.
Estee Lauder Cinnabar - another autumn / winter only favourite
L'Artisan Voleur de Roses - autumn / winter favourite, layered with Yves Rocher Rose Ispahan to amp up the rose & plum elements.
Michael Kors Michael For Men - on a man this is sex incarnate! On me (decanted and dabbed), I love the strong suede, plum, tobacco and spice patchouli layered with deep, dark fruits (like Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir or Ava Luxe Forbidden Fruits) to soften the sharp edges.
Montale Patchouli Leaves - begins as a plain, luxurious patchouli but the drydown, with the amber is divine.
Yves Rocher Neonatura Cocoon - a 'deepest winter' favourite. This, to me, is a 'poor man's twin' to Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur. In other words it is a sweet vanillic chocolatey patchouli 'gourmand' perfume. Albeit 'thinner' and less potent than the FM. I layer with TBS Woody Sandalwood or Ava Luxe Sweet Patchouli for a very passable dupe.

...I own quite a few more, I'm sure, but these are the first that come to mind. Not bad for a gal that swore she hated patchouli & could not wear it, eh!!!
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post #9 of 26
5/13/07 at 5:57am
Make sure you sample Divine L'inspiratrice: plummy sweet rose beautifully folded into patchouli, with highlights of bergamot to shed glitters in the mix, I love this and I don't even like the patchouli note in general!
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post #10 of 26
5/13/07 at 6:20am
Patchouli is an odd one for me. I like it on other people. I hate it on me. This may be why I didn't get on with Angel, and possibly also why Chinatown gave me a similar, but not quite so 'get it off me now!' reaction. I got similarities between them, so I'm guessing it was the patchouli, even though I couldn't distinguish it (still training the nose). I think you have to be very careful with patchouli. I shall continue to be wary of it until I find a fragrance that contains it that I can feel comfortable with.
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post #11 of 26
5/13/07 at 6:31am
I like musty,earthy smells a lot....so patchouli is a winner for me My favourite patchouli scents are Angel and Ayala Moriel's Film Noir.
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post #12 of 26
5/13/07 at 10:39am
I hate patchouli Some time ago, before I knew that the note I find repulsive in some perfumes is patchouli, I bought a patchouli essential oil, put it into an aromalamp and... oh my god, one of the worst olfactory experiences ever
(Of course, a little bit of patchouli, if it's well blended into the scent, I don't mind.)
I smell patchouli in Angel, even more in Eau de Star, and also in Eden by Cacharel.
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post #13 of 26
5/13/07 at 1:32pm
I REALLY, REALLY like Les Nereides Patchouli Antique. I'm not a huge patch fan but I need a big bottle of this (and their Imperial Opoponax)
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post #14 of 26
5/13/07 at 1:56pm
I'm showing my age and my hippy history here but for many, many years I treasured a very small, very sticky bottle of dark brown 'patooly' oil and wore it to gigs. This was back in the days when music came on LPs and we'd never heard of CDs or MP3s. *sigh*
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post #15 of 26
5/13/07 at 5:30pm
Welcome Wordbird!

I love patchouli--the best for me is Jalaine's Patchouli, a close second is Ozwald Boateng's Parfum Bespoke Red, then the drydown of Bond's Nuits de Noho. I do also love Montale's Patchouli Leaves, for the uberpatch experience.
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post #16 of 26
5/14/07 at 1:50am
Nuits de Noho is definitely Angel-ish, though it has that pineapple thing going on as well.

Bandit has a lot of patchouli as well, least I find it quite earthy.

One I'd like to try is Ayala Moriel Film Noir (not to confuse with Ava Luxe Film Noir) which only has basenotes: patchouli, myrrh and chocolate. Ineespenes, please tell what it is like!
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post #17 of 26
5/14/07 at 2:07am
One I'd like to try is Ayala Moriel Film Noir (not to confuse with Ava Luxe Film Noir) which only has basenotes: patchouli, myrrh and chocolate. Ineespenes, please tell what it is like![/QUOTE]

I like it a lot My skin tends to eat some notes and most scents disappear quickly on my skin.This happend with FN as well, but the lasting power was ok.I found it very well balanced between the initially strong patchouli "opening" and then the chocolate blended in beautifully.I didn't get any myrrh,though.It was not overly sweet either.That is a bonus for me. I found it earthy....with lack of no other word. Hope this helps.
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post #18 of 26
5/14/07 at 2:49am
Earthy is what I would expect from those notes. I like the idea of something that smells like damp earth and foliage after it's rained, which is why I like patchouli.
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post #19 of 26
5/14/07 at 7:41am
It definitely depends on the blend for me. For example I love Bal a Versailles but don't like Angel. I enjoy it more in earthy spicy blends, but not at all in in foody ones.
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post #20 of 26
5/14/07 at 10:19am
I love the Patchouli in Le Baiser du Dragon and Anne Pliska.
The Nereides versions are great and so is the Santa Maria Novella
Patchouli. Ditto Yves Rocher's Cocoon.
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post #21 of 26
5/14/07 at 12:59pm
Borneo 1834 is my favourite patchouli, and also one of my favourite scents. It is also the one that other people seem to recognise as patchouli; I don't normally get compliments on my scents (all my co-workers are men and apart from soliflores they never seem to notice my scents!) but this usually gets someone saying how much they like patchouli.
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post #22 of 26
5/14/07 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
Wow, great responses. Some of those I've not heard of - that Divine L'inspiratrice sounds amazing.


Quote:
Originally Posted by moondeva View Post

Yves Rocher Neonatura Cocoon - a 'deepest winter' favourite. This, to me, is a 'poor man's twin' to Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur. In other words it is a sweet vanillic chocolatey patchouli 'gourmand' perfume. Albeit 'thinner' and less potent than the FM.

I LOVE Cocoon. Love it. I never thought about it being the flip side of FM MR. Does MR have patchouli? They both have a certain sexiness, and that sweatiness that you mentioned is what makes patchouli so sexy. I always thought of MR's sexiness coming from musk. Should we include patchouli as an animalic?

However, because of this animalic quality, and its potency, I'm often sort of wary of wearing patchouli-based frags. It can be really harsh and overpowering. I agree with Clemmie...you have to be really careful!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wordbird View Post

I'm showing my age and my hippy history here but for many, many years I treasured a very small, very sticky bottle of dark brown 'patooly' oil and wore it to gigs. *sigh*

What's funny about it now, though, is that the current trend is the OPPOSITE of this "hippy history." Patchouli is decidedly mainstream! I guess people aren't afraid to smell earthy and/or sexy. Or is it something else? I wonder if people are trying to get noticed with their frags, and since patchouli throws off such a big smell, they're sure to get noticed. Or is it top-down (coming from the frag companies)?
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post #23 of 26
5/14/07 at 8:49pm
I like Nuits de Noho the best for patchouli. Coromandel is a good one too, but a bit medicinal on me. The drydown of AA Pamplelune is a nice vanilla/patchouli.
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post #24 of 26
5/17/07 at 5:37am
Laugh if you will, but Jovan's Fresh Patchouli is dynamite: the patch is mixed with some kinda green grassy thing. Great for layering over vanilla.
I used to think I hated Patchouli, because of my extremely negative response to Angel.
Now I realize it's the chocolate factor that smells like **** on me. No chocolate in anything, ever. Except for food.
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post #25 of 26
5/17/07 at 8:32pm
I am a big fan of patchouli. I love the "dirty" earthy quality. Patchouli also has a "boozy" aspect, for example in Etro's Patchouly (which I bought to layer with fragrances that do not have enough patchouli when I'm craving it). ALuxe Patchouli Leaves also has that "boozy" aspect which makes me think that the leaves are fermented (says "aged" leaves on her website).

Some fragrances with big patchouli that I adore:

Comme des Garcons 2
Diorella
Enjoy
Rochas Femme
Fidji
Lovely
Shaal Nur
Shalimar
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post #26 of 26
5/18/07 at 6:57am
Etro Patchouly is one of my all-time favourites. It's a warm, resinous, earthy and somehow very classy patchouli, and is one of the few things that I've got through more than two full sized bottles of. (Amazing, given how little you need.) It's got wonderful lasting power, and it's so warm - in the winter it's like wrapping yourself in a paisley cashmere shawl.

I love the patchouli in Voleur de Roses, and Bal a Versailles is also one of my favourites (although the patchouli in that doesn't play as starring a role as it does in Patchouly and VdR). I hope you find something you love!
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